First I would suggest going to a reputable archery shop. It can be hit and miss with big box stores like Cabelas and Bass Pro. Get fitted for a bow. Dont buy 2nd hand unless you know what you are getting into. An incorrectly fitted bow will cause nothing but frustration. I got my daughter a Diamond Infinte Edge. Look at the adjustability of both the draw length and the poundage. She started shooting before she was 12 and is pretty damn good. As she grows and her muscles develop we can increase the bow to fit her.

Dont get caught up around FPS and poundage. If you dont know how to shoot a 70lb bow that shoots 350FPS will only cause you to miss faster. The arrow is not going to outrun sound so worry about shot placement not speed. For a hunting situation I would reccomend you set the poundage down to a leve you can control when the world goes to hell. I test mine by sitting down on a stool, lifting my feet off the ground and then drawing the bow without having to raise it up or down and then slowly let the bow back down. If you are struggling holding still it is to much weight. If your area lends more to ground stalking you might be able to get away with a little more poundage but down here most deer hunting is from a blind or a tree stand and the more movement you have the more likley you are to get busted.

Mind the wind. It wil help you and it will screw you, and can do both in a matter of seconds. Remimber with archery equipment you are as close as you are going to get to thier face and than means thier nose.

The number of arrows you shoot in practice is not nearly as important as the quiality of the shots you take in practice. Start with a normal target then move to more of a 3D set up. Looking at a set of painted in vitals that are square to you is much different than looking at a 3 dimensional target. You can move a 3D target around and take shots from different angles. Remimber its not where the arrow hits, its how it tracks through the vitals that is important. A steep enough angle might make it look like the shot is to far back but follow the shaft through the body and see if it connects with something vital. Heart shots are great but double lung at a minimum is what you want. Get both lungs. An animal tha cant breath cant run to far.

Learn to fletch your own arrows, its like reloading but a hell of a lot less expensive. I wrap mine with a very bright color and it makes it easier to track with my eye or to find if I miss.

If you can practice at a distance 2 times more than you think you will get a shot. Last year I was practicing all the way out to 80 yards. I would shot 6 arrows from 40 every 10 yards out to 80 and then every 10 yards back in to 20. The max I will take a shot from a tree stand is 30 unless conditions are perfect then I might stretch it to 40. But it is fun as hell watching an arrow with one second flight time hit a 3D target from almost 100 yards away.

Have fun with it. Archery is one of those sports that you can involve the entire family. There is something about the flight of an arrow, especially when it goes on target that is mystical.

Pocket range finder. You will eventually make it up to that 70lb and 280+ speeds but even there the difference between 30 and 35 yards can be a wounded animal.

It may sound like a lot but it all falls into place quickly. I can assure you that once that deer steps out at about 20 yards and you swear he can hear your heart beating, as you draw back you will be shaking like a dog trying to shat a peach pit, you will know why so many people love the bow hunt. It is a rush like no other. Then it will be on to bigger animals. Last year was my first elk hunt, it was archery and I didn't have a tag so I was just calling for the guy that did. When that bull was 40 yards from me and I didn't even see him I thought I was going to have a heart attack. It is addictive. While I still enjoy the muzzle loader and gun hunts they do not match the sheer rush of the bow hunt.

ETA: Here is a link to the bow I got my daughter. If there isnt a Cabelas or Bass Pro near you, it cal always be ordered.

No way do you need to be shooting 75lb draw especially from a tree stand.

60-65 is PLENTY and I know many guys that prefer 58-60.

Just sit in that stand for 3 hours in the cold not moving much and then in 10 seconds have to grab that bow and pull its full weight.

That's what it's set at right now. I'm sure I can back it off. I can pull that pretty easy but you're right- I need to wear a full coat and practice with it to see if that's where I want to keep it. I was pulling 55 like it wasn't there and the tech asked if I wanted more. A little velocity never hurt so he cranked it down, I pulled that easy, repeat, repeat- finally he cinched it down all the way which is where I could notice it.

If you have it set at 75 back it down right now. The bow is only rated for 70 cranking it above that can damage the bow.

Now as far as what poundage to hunt with, yes a few more FPS can and will hurt you. My general rule is take a chair outside, sit down sideways to your target. Lift your feet off the ground holding your legs straight. Now draw the bow. If you have to raise it above your shoulder, you are pulling too much. If you cant let it down without it jerking you are drawing too much. Sit in a stand in 35-40 degree weather for 2-3 hours before you have to be quiet as a mouse getting and drawing your bow and 5 pounds makes a hell of a difference. I had a buddy a couple of years go that was all about speed. Well I took him out to a 3d range and after a good 20 minute or so warm up, we started walking the course. He has his bow jacked up to 70, I think I was running maybe around 62. After 15 targets he could barely hold the bow at full draw, after 5 more he could even pull it. I was still not straining. He dropped his bow back down that afternoon.

Archery is not about speed it is about control. Most archery shots are inside of 30 yards (at least from treestands for white tail). There is only a split second difference between 270 and 320 FPS not enough that it is going to make a difference at that range.

Now this is not to say that you should never crank it up. I hunt with a different poundage each year. Not because I like to move it around but it changes because of the amount of practice before the season. If I start very early likeI should, shooting right after Turkey season, maybe some 3d or other competitions during the summer my form is strong and my muscles are toned for that activity. I might end up at 70 before the season starts. If I start a month before opening day like I normally do, I tend to stay below 65.

Bow hunting is awesome. It's a whole other level of hunting. I did it for close to 15 years off and on. Saw a lot of animals you don't usually see during rifle season and they aren't usually as spooked.

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Purpose should drive the Purchase......The "one shot group". A way to save time, money and barrel life!

If you have it set at 75 back it down right now. The bow is only rated for 70 cranking it above that can damage the bow.

Now as far as what poundage to hunt with, yes a few more FPS can and will hurt you. My general rule is take a chair outside, sit down sideways to your target. Lift your feet off the ground holding your legs straight. Now draw the bow. If you have to raise it above your shoulder, you are pulling too much. If you cant let it down without it jerking you are drawing too much. Sit in a stand in 35-40 degree weather for 2-3 hours before you have to be quiet as a mouse getting and drawing your bow and 5 pounds makes a hell of a difference. I had a buddy a couple of years go that was all about speed. Well I took him out to a 3d range and after a good 20 minute or so warm up, we started walking the course. He has his bow jacked up to 70, I think I was running maybe around 62. After 15 targets he could barely hold the bow at full draw, after 5 more he could even pull it. I was still not straining. He dropped his bow back down that afternoon.

Archery is not about speed it is about control. Most archery shots are inside of 30 yards (at least from treestands for white tail). There is only a split second difference between 270 and 320 FPS not enough that it is going to make a difference at that range.

Now this is not to say that you should never crank it up. I hunt with a different poundage each year. Not because I like to move it around but it changes because of the amount of practice before the season. If I start very early likeI should, shooting right after Turkey season, maybe some 3d or other competitions during the summer my form is strong and my muscles are toned for that activity. I might end up at 70 before the season starts. If I start a month before opening day like I normally do, I tend to stay below 65.

Backed it off a couple turns. It's probably mid 69s but I don't have a bow scale to measure.

Backed it off a couple turns. It's probably mid 69s but I don't have a bow scale to measure.

The actual poundage is not that important as long as it isnt above max. Now that is a twin cam bow, this means the cams have to be in time for it to shoot true. Take a measurement from where the limb tounches the riser to the string, make sure you are 90 degrees to the string. Meaure it at the top of the riser and the bottom of the riser. These must be as closes to the same as possible. This facilitates the cams to break over at the same time keeping equal pressure in both directions on the bow string and causing the knock to travel true as it goes forward.

The actual poundage is not that important as long as it isnt above max. Now that is a twin cam bow, this means the cams have to be in time for it to shoot true. Take a measurement from where the limb tounches the riser to the string, make sure you are 90 degrees to the string. Meaure it at the top of the riser and the bottom of the riser. These must be as closes to the same as possible. This facilitates the cams to break over at the same time keeping equal pressure in both directions on the bow string and causing the knock to travel true as it goes forward.

Will do. I was careful to back them off equal turns but I'll confirm with the measurements.